Bhubaneswar, July 5: To breath new life into the folk art forms of the state, the Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi, under the aegis of the culture department, is organising Loknatya Mahotsav, a cultural festival, at Bhanja Kala Mandap here.

The essence of rare rural art forms is being celebrated at the event. The festival kicked off on July 4. The 300-year-old folk theatre of Ganjam - Prahlad natak - was presented on the inaugural day. The art form contains 120 songs written by Gopinath Parichha, a court member of Raja Ramakrishna Chhotray.

Dressed in traditional attire, the artistes Gopinath Swami Sanskrutik Parishad, a cultural group, presented various types of torture that Prahlad had to face from his father - demon king Hiranyakashipu.

On the second day of the event, Gouranga Barik and his team presented Mughal Tamasha, a folk theatre that originated from Bhadrak. The play represented the impact of the Mughal rule on this province.

Folk artistes from across the state are overjoyed with this opportunity. For many, this was the first show at the state capital, in front of a huge audience.

"Only a few of us have performed outside our district. For the rest, this is a big opportunity to feel the pulse of the big city and showcase their skills at the same time," said Simanchal Das, a Prahlad natak artiste.

Many from the crowd felt that such festival would breath new life into the art forms.

"Such government initiatives will be helpful towards reviving the art forms. My children had never heard of Prahlad natak but they enjoyed the performance," said Anupama Behera, a homemaker.

"The festival aims at serving a dual purpose. It will expose the urban crowd to the folk heritage of the state. They get ample chances to see Odissi shows or western performances but they hardly know the folk art forms. Then, it will also provide a platform for the rural artistes to showcase their talents," says Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademi secretary Dhira Mallick.

On July 6, Ram Leela, the story of Ram's journey from exile to the throne, will be staged.

The festival will end on July 7. On that day, Danda nata, which is a ritualistic festival of penance followed by the people from the southern parts of the state.

A number of traditional dance shows and musical performances will also be presented at the festival.